Château du Chatelard Cuvée Les Vieilles Vignes

It’s summer so, for me, it’s Beaujolais time. With the hot weather I prefer lighter wines with fruity berry flavors.  This time it’s the Chateau du Chatelard Cuvee Les Vielles Vignes.  This wine is from old vines and aged in concrete tanks for 4 months according to the LCBO website.  Lacking a wine fridge, I chilled the wine in a regular refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes just before drinking.

Wine:  Chateau de Charteland Cuvee Les Vielles Vigne Beaujolais-Village 2014

Location: France

Alcohol content: 12.5%

Sugar content: 5g/L

Price: $17.95

Vintages number: 445320

As advertised, this medium-bodied wine has the strong strawberry and cherry flavors I like in wines made with Gamay grapes. This wine is smooth with a clean finish.

This wine compares very favourably to my standby Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages. The Charteland is probably more complex and may be preferred by connoisseurs but I give the edge to the Duboeuf because of the slightly stronger berry flavors. It is close but the Duboeuf is also $4 less a bottle which erases any doubt for me. All things considered, this is a fantastic Beaujolais-Villages and I will gladly drink it again. 

Recommendation:    Uncork

Rating:                     9.0 out of 10

Domaine de La Madone Le Perreon Beaujolais-Villages 2014

Beaujolais-Villages wines are produced by 39 commune/villages in the Haut Beaujolais in France are meant to be consumed within 2 years of their harvest. Beaujolais wines are made with Gamay grapes which have thin skins and are low in tannins.  

Beaujolais have been described as ‘White wines that happen to be red’ and wikipedia recommends that they be served at between 13 and 14 degrees Celsius (56-57F).  I usually prefer a bit warmer around 16 to 18 degrees Celsius to appreciate more of the flavours.  I chill mine in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before opening. These wines are often fruity with the berry flavours I prefer in the summer months.

Wine:  Domaine de La Madone Le Perreon Beaujolais-Villages 2014

Location: France

Alcohol content: 13.0%

Sugar content: 6g/L

Price: $14.95

Vintages number: 981175

This wines is a ruby red colour, perhaps slightly darker than other Beaujolais-Villages wines I have tried. The aromas are of sweet berry with a slight spice.

The flavours are of berry and spice also however the fruit flavours are not as pronounced as the Georges-DuBoeuf Beaujolais-Villages that is my staple summer wine. The wine is smooth, low in tannins with a pleasant, sweet berry finish.

While I don’t enjoy this wine as much as the DuBoeuf, it is a good wine that I would gladly drink again. For those who prefer more muted fruit flavours in their Beaujolais, you might like it more than me.

Recommendation:  Uncork

Rating:                  8.0 out of 10